Reducing reattendance at a GP surgery co-located with an A&E
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can a letter based on behavioural insights sent to patients attending a GP surgery co-located within Medway Foundation Trust's A&E Department reduce re-attendance rates?
IRAS ID
174984
Contact name
Laura Freeman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Department of Health
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
The purpose of the research is to look at ways to reduce pressure on Accident and emergency (A&E), focussing on reducing demand from people attending for minor ailments that could have been treated elsewhere. This study uses a randomised controlled trial to see whether a letter sent to patients attending MedOCC (a GP surgery co-located within and A&E department) can reduce re-attendance by these patients within 6-months following the letter. The intervention letter is based on behavioural insights (i.e. an understanding of how people behave). The setting is the A&E department of Medway Foundation Trust (MFT)in Kent. At MFT, A&E patients are triaged on admission; patients with minor ailments are referred to the on-site GP service (MedOCC), which also accepts referrals from GPs and NHS111 telephone service. All MedOCC patients (adults and children) referred by A&E during the intervention period will be included in the trial. The trial will exclude those referred by GPs or NHS 111; and will exclude patients who ended up being admitted to the hospital or who were referred for deep vein thrombosis investigation (as both would be considered appropriate attendance to A&E). The trial will recruit 2000 consecutive eligible patients attending MedOCC from the start of the trial. Each day, eligible patients will be randomised to one of two groups: intervention (letter) or control (no letter). The primary outcome is the rate of individual re-attendance at MedOCC within six months following initial attendance, comparing intervention and control groups. Secondary outcomes will look at whether demographics (age, sex, deprivation) are related to response to the intervention.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0119
Date of REC Opinion
24 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion